Method of feeding cards



l. POWERS.

METHOD 0F FEEDING CARDS.

APPLICATION r|LED1uNE13.191u.

Patontffd July 22, 1919.

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METHOD OF FEEDING CARDS.

APPucMloN r|LD1uNE|3.19|s.

Patented July 2 1919.

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I. POWERS.

METHOD 0F FEEDING CARDS.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE I3. IQIB.

1 ,31 0,434. Patented July 22, 1919.

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METHOD 0F FEEDING CARDS.

APPLICATION r|LEn1uNE13.|9xa.

Patented July 22, 1919.

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Wifnesses J. POWERS. METHOD 0F FEEDING CARDS. APPLICATIONr|Lu1uNE1a.1s|.

Patented July 22, 1919.

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method and apparatus yUNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

JAMES POWERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO POWERS ACCOUNTING MACHINECOMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OIE' DELAWARE.

METHOD OF FEEDING CARDS.

,Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

Original application :nled March 18, 1916, Serial No. 85,130. Dividedand this application led June 13, 1918. Serial No. 239,861.

To alZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, JAMES Powers, a citizen of the United States,residin in New York city, in the county of New ork and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods ofFeeding Cards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to card feeds in general, and more particularlyto a method for feeding perforated cards to accounting inachines and theapparatus for carrying out such method.

The invention herein described and claimed relates to subject matterdivided from and described and previously claimed in my copendingapplication, Serial No. 85,130 liled March 18th, 1916, for card feed forstatistical card accountlng machinery.

The present invention contemplates. the method of feedin cards through amachine whereby the car s may be carried into the machine in a verticalposition and again discharged in a vertical position Such verticalpositioning of the cards greatly facilitating the manipulation of thecards both when supplying the machine with cards vand removin the cardstherefrom after having been dlscharged, the cards being discharged inthe same consecutive order as conveyed into the machine.

It is further contemfplated to provide a or carrying out such methodwhereby the cards may be received in a vertical position, deflected intoa horizontal position to be analyzed,and then deiected back to verticalposition and discharged from the analyzing mechanism.

These and other features, capabilities and advantages of the presentimprovement will appear from the subjoined detail description of onespecific embodiment thereof, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings-,in whichf u Figure'l is a side elevation of a printertabulator equipped within the present' improvement. i f v l Fig. 2 is afragmental sideie'levationalrview of the printer tabulator showing theinitial card feeding means Vpartly in section. Fig. 3 `is a plan viewofthe mechanism shown in 2.

Fig. 4 isa ragmental end elevation, partly in section, showing theinitial card feeding means.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental side elevation showing the card discharging meanswith a cardpacking means in card-receivin position.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation wit the printer tabulator removed, showingthe discharging miipsr f t1 rn 1g. 1s a ra en a view pa in section, alothe liilie 7 7 of ig. 5.y

Fig. 8 1s a fragmental view showing the card-packing means of thedischarging means in packing position.

In the embodiment shown, the apparatus comprises essentially a mainframe A for an accounting machine, of the printer tabulator type such asillustrated in my copending application Serial No. 85130, filed March18th, 1916, to the rear end of which is formed an auxiliary frame Bhavin a bracket 11 on which are formed two paralel bed rails 12, onwhich the'edges of the cards C rest, being verticali supported thereonand extending across t e same, and on which the lower edge of thefollower 13 also rests, the front face of which follower is preferablyprovided with-a ad 14, or the like, for contactin with t e cards C. Therear face of sai follower 13 is provided with the bearings 15 throughwhich the shaft 16 extends, the ends of which shaft 16 are secured inthe forward extensions of the lateral portions 17 of the transverseplate member 18, the lateral portions 17 bein@ connected to one anotherby the transverse daar 19. The lateral portions 17 are provided 4withgrooves 20 for engaging the guide-rails 21 secured to and disposed abovethe bed rails 12.

v By the foregoing arrangement, it is thus seen that the follower 13 ispivotally connected tothe plate member 18. Medially of the .bar 19 thereare formed two rearward bearings 22 for the shaft 23 which extendsthrough the vertically extendingV slot 24 formed in the walking pin 25,the upper portion of which is resihently connected to the collar 26formed on the shaft 16 by the coil sprin 27, and the lower end of whichis connecte by the dat loop-spring 28 with the transverse bar 19 bymeans of which the upper iportion of the pin 25 will be resiliently straned against the rearwardly extending plate portion 29 formed on thetransverse bar 19. The plate portion 29 is adapted to engage the notch30 formed in the pin when the pin is raised into idle position with thelower end of its slot 24 en agedI by the shaft 23. The lower end of t epin 25 is formed into a rack-engagingngger 31 with an inclined face 32on its forward side, such finger being adapted to en age the rack 33when the pin 25 is released in its depressed or active position, therack 33 bein-g slidably supported on and guided in the brackets 34 and35, the bracket 34 being secured to the cross-piece- 365 fixed to therear ends of the bed rails 12, and th.,` bracket 35 secured to the mainframe A. The rack- 33 is provided with teeth 37, the rear faces of whichwre inclined, while their front faces are substantally vertical, thearrangement being such that the finger 31 may ride over the teeth 37 onthe rearward reciprocation of the rack 33 but be engaged and rocked onl`the forward reciprocation of the rack 33.

For reciprocating the rack 33, the inrger 38 is provided, which is fixedto the shaft 39 mounted in the bearings 40 and secured to the bed rails12, the lower edge of the rack 33 having a notch 41 formed therein toreceive the finger 38. The shaft 39' has fixed t'lfieretol a, forwardlyextending arm- 42 which is pivotally connected to the vertically reciprocating link 43, the lower endof which is pivotally connected to therearwardly cxte-nding arm 44 of the bell-crank 45 pivotally mounted onthe shaft 46 and having" a forrwardly extending arm 47, to the front endof which is secured a cam roller 43 for engagement with the cam-groove49 of the @am 50 fixed toY the main driving shaft 72.

The main frame A on either side of the card-receiving end ef they bedrails l2, is provided with upwardly extending side members 61 extendingupward to the height of the cards C, on the' ufpper edges of which aresecured the guidi plates 52 which ex tend inwardly across t e path ofmovement of the cards C, the rear ends oft which are ared upwardly tofacilitate the passage of the cards thereunder.

Vertically reciprocab'le between the ideplatcs 52, is provided theickerlbrac et 53 on which is formed the cal' lpiczker-plate 54, thebracket 53 bein pivota y connected to the upper end of t e link 4B. Theends of the bracket 53 are guided between the fingers 55 and 5o formedon the side members el, the rear faces of the fingers 5t being inclinedso that their lower edges extend a little rearwardly of the picker-plate54, while their upper edges are in alinement withv the picker-plate 54.There is provided an adjustable block 57, the front face of which is'inclined to copemte with the rear faces of the ii ers 55, to the lowerand of which block 57 rs secured the curved deflecting plate 58 withwhich the rollers 59 and 60 ceperate to defiect the cards C, as they arelowered by the picker-plate 54, to the feed rolleil 61 by which suchcards C are fed into analyzing position for setting the printertabulator.

After the cards C have been analyzed, they are conveyed by the roller 61to the rollers 62 and G3, the upper roller G2 being disposed forwardlyof the roller 63 and' with the lower levels of their periplieriesextending down below the upper levels of the peripheries of the rollers63 so that the cards C may be deiected downwardly by such rollers 62 and63 on to the rockable deflecting late 64, such plate 64 alsod serving asa card cking member.

The de ecting plate 64 is secured tothe shaft 65 and journaled in therear end of the bed rails 65' of the bracket 67 extending for wardly ofand secured to the main frame A, such plate 64, when disposed in itsrearward position, being inclined to receive the cards C from therollers 62 and 63, and when disposedl in its forward position beingsubstantially vertical, thereby carrying the cards C over onto the bedrails 66. For rocking the plate 64, a short lever G31 is secured to andextends downwardly from the shaft 65, the lower end of which lever 68 ispivotally connested to the lever 69 provided with the cam link 70 at itsrear end which emcirel'es the cam-disk 71 fixed to the main drivingshaft 721 Formed on the bracket 67 and extending above the bed rails 66'to' either side of the path of movement of the cards C, are formed thebearings 7 3 and 74, the bearings 73 being secured adjacent to the mainframe A, and the bearings 74 at the extreme front end of the' bracket67. A The bearings 73 and 74 mount the shafts 7? which extend throughthe collars 76 formed on the lateral ends of the plate 77. The platel 77will be gradually carrled forward by the increasing supply of cardsbeing packed thereagainst by the plate 64.

Y For anchoring the cards in place on said bed rails 66 and preventing`the same from returning with the plate 64, thelushaped rod or Wlre 78 isprovided, the ends of which are pivotally connected to the upwardlyextending plate portions 79 formed on the frame A and extending upwardon either side' of the path of movement of the cards C, being conveyedto the bed rails 66. The wire 78 has an intermediate connecting portion80 resiliently maintained downward against therear face of the lastdischarged card by the sprin s 8'1 connecting the end portions 82 of sucwire 78 with the plate portions 79. This wire 7 8 coperates with theplate 64 as follows .--As a card C is car ried forward by the plate 64,the. upper edge of thecard being so carried will be pressed against theintermediate portion 80 thereby thrusting it'. upward out of the way topermit the card to pass thereunder, the plate 64 moving forward thesuppl of cards C disposed on the bed rail 66 and7 at the same time theplate 77, the thickness of a card, and as soon as the upper edge of thecard being so carried has slipped past the intermediate portion 80, thewire 78 will be free to snap against the rear face of such card, and theplate 64 will thereupon be permitted to return t0 inclined positionwithout dan er of returning such last discharged card with it.

For assisting in frictioiially holdin the plate 18 in advanced position,the friction an le plates 83 are provided which are pivota ly connectedto the rearward extensions 84 of the lateral portions 17, such plates 83having knife-edges 85 for engaging the guide-rails 81, and springs 86for resiliently maintaining such knife-edges 85 in engagement with suchrails 21, the knife-edges 85 being disposed at an angle to such rails21., so that the free movement of the lateral portions 17 in a forwarddirection will be permitted, while the knife-edges 85 will be adapted toengage into the rails 21 and frietionally hold the lateral portions 17and therewith the bar 18 from freely moving rearward.

The operation of the initial feeding means is substantially as followsEvery time the picker-plate 54 descends to lower a card C, the rack 33rocked forwardly by the linger 38, and the finger 31 thereby engaged byone of the teeth 37, the lower end of the pin 25 will be drawn u wardlyagainst the pressure of the springs 2 and 28, which strain of thesprings 27 and 28 will exercise a pushing strain on the bar 18 and dueto a card C having been discharged, the supply of cards C on the bedrails 12 and the follower 13 will thereby be permitted t0 move forwardthe distance of a thickness of a card, the friction-plates 83 permittingfree movement of the bar 18 in a forward direction and frictionallytaking a fresh bite on the rails 21 when the bar 18 comes to rest,thereby to prevent the return of the bar 18 with the thereupon ensuingrearward recprocation of the rack 33. The pin 25 will rise slightly withthe rearward movement of the rack 33, but due to its springs 27 and 28will again drop into firm engagement with a tooth 37 as soon as therearward movement ceases. This operation of the pin 25 will be repeateduntil all the cards have been fed into the machine, whereupon thefollower 13, being then maintained against further forward movement, thepin 25 will be merely repeatedly rocked a ainst the strains of thesprings 27 and 28. When it is desired to move the bar 18 and follower 13rearward for a fresh supply of cards C, or for any other reason, it isonly necessary to raise the pin 25 out of coperation with the rack 33,in which operation the pin 25 is raised until its notch 30 engages theplate 29 whereby the in 25 will be anchored out of engagement with therack 33 and permit the free movement o-f the bar 18 rearward, thefriction plates 83 being at this time merely pressed rearward todisengage them from the rails 21.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to thedetails of construction and to the steps of the method without departingfrom the general spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

.A method of analyzing cards, said method consisting in verticallypositioning the cards in an initial ack right side up with their facesforwar feeding the cards, one at a time, face forward; deflecting thefed cards to horizontal position; analyzing the de- Hected cards; againdellecting the analyzed cards again to vertical position with theirfaces forward; and discharging the again deiected card into a final packright side up with their faces forward and in vertical po sition, thecards having the same relative position and arrangement in the initialand final packs.

JAMES POWERS.

Witnesses:

JAMES F. CoNNEEN, DAWN WILLIAMSON.

Copies ot this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

